Walter Lee's inner journey in A Raisin In The Sun.
Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun, as the first play written by an African American to be produced on Broadway, explores the struggles of ordinary African American people to achieve their desires. An African American family pursuing the American dream of owning a home encounters racism and must decide what is really important in life. Through describing Walter Lee's inner journey, Hansberry has produced a perfect play, which contents so much truth of Black people's lives.1.
Walter Lee Younger an ordinary African American chauffeur. He lives with his mother Lena, whom everyone calls Mama, his sister Beneatha, his wife Ruth and son Travis Younger in a Chicago black neighborhood, Walter Lee is not satisfied of what he owned. He doesnt want to be a poor hopeless chauffeur for the rest of his life. He hates living in his small ghetto, so small that his son has to sleep in the living room, which in the same time also serves as kitchen. He dreams much bigger than that. He wants to be a successful businessman, lives like the rich white. A thousand-mile journey begins on the first step. His first step is opening his own business, being his own boss. A big opportunity is up on him, now. His father "Big Walter's" life-insurance policy, a ten-thousand-dollar check will be sent to them on Saturday. .
Walter Lee sees this money as a miracle, because it is going to change his and his whole family's life. The money seems really important for each of them, even Travis the young boy can feel the power of it. Mama wants to buy freedom a family house. Beneatha, who goes medical school, needs it for her education. Walter Lee, the man of the house, wants to use the money to open a liquor store. .
At the beginning of the play, Walter Lee is not a happy man. The lack of personal fulfillment, unhappiness with his job and career, the scarcity of money, all of these drive him crazy.